Throughout the course we will have:
- personal playing tests (at 5th week, midterm, 15th, final)
- band playing tests
- form/elements of music analysis (every friday)
Learning about logic:
- learn the basics of our recording/editing software: logic pro
- write and record an audio composition (story)
- use various effects to alter the sound of your recordings
Rotations:
- Build your own wooden Percussion Instrument (Cajon), paint it and learn to play it when you're done.
- Learn how to make electronic Dance music using Midi and Logic Pro.
- Learn another instrument (a song and two scales)
Songwriting unit(s):
- discuss different archetypes of songs in popular music
- write your own lyrics - printed separately and handed in
- write a chord progression and melody
- collaborate with other students - playing on at least one other person's song
- record the song, with effects - mix down and send to Mr. Cummings
Acoustic Cover(s) Collaboration Unit:
- arrange an acoustic (keyboards allowed) cover of a song with one or two other people
- arrange ANOTHER one with a different arrangement of instrumentation
- record your covers
Altered Cover Unit:
- arrange a cover in a creative way - by changing one or more of the major elements of the song
- tempo, key of the song, melody, genre, general feel...
- record the cover
Research a Band/Artist:
- make a slideshow about a band or artist - informing the class about who they are, what they do, where they came from, etc.
- show your presentation and your expertise to the class
- play audio and/or video clips for the class
Instrumental Composition -
- In small groups compose an instrumental song (using your instruments which students play in class) which is a soundtrack for a Slideshow of images.
- The slideshow is comprised of images about a world event such as (911, Apollo 13 crash, , Hurricane Katrina, Remembrance Day)
- (Option: Record the composition and set it to the images, like in a video)
- Students need to understand and communicate the relationship between the music/emotion in the music to the images.
- A written response of musical/compositional choices and rationale provided to the teacher
- Composition will be performed in class, while the slideshow is shown on the projector.
Analysis -
- Being able to analyze forms of music (identifying new sections by ear, then labeling them with a proper form name upon second listen)
- Being able to identify and describe the elements of music for a song/piece of music (Old Guys Got Good Taste - OGGGT)
- Live performance practices (analyzing live concerts, using proper music language and conventions).